Take a moment to compare the energy of assembled activists, such as union organizers in Madison whose radical factions vandalized the Capitol building, or Wall Street Occupiers, anarchists to whom hate is their central impetus, as opposed to the tens of thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square who wanted to catch a glimpse of the newly elected Pope Francis. The enthusiasm of 50,000 strong and 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide could not be suppressed—although the punditry gave it their best shot.

Despite attempts to diminish the passion of the faithful by citing accusations of hierarchical cover up of sexual abuse to financial misappropriation, the world’s press could not squelch the unbridled enthusiasm of the congregate.

Both Catholics and Occupy activists have commonality in that they gather collectively for a cause greater than themselves. Both movements appear to have altruistic objectives. Catholics aim to spread the Gospel, minister to the poor and convert souls to the Church, whereas Occupy activists sought destruction of institutions, namely capitalism, to bring about what? Equality? Social Justice? As defined by whom?

People tend to be drawn to optimism and repelled by hate.

Those gathered in St. Peter’s Square exemplified what the American melting pot used to be: A unified body transcendent of country, skin color, language and socio-economic status. It was an energized unity that statists can only dream to harness.

The end game of false hope and change promised by a secular figurehead, when man is his own judge and jury, yields only to a drop in living standards, abuse of power with the intimidation of citizens into submission, leading ultimately to the death of innocents either through poverty or violence or a combination thereof. Witness history – Lenin, Stalin and Mao.

The Church seeks to be holy as defined as being separate from the rest of the world. Despite best efforts, those running the Church are indeed fallible. They have failed repeatedly since their inception with abuses, indulgences and inquisitions leaving little difference between themselves and nation states. No movement is without the need for purging the impenitent. Yes, the Catholic Church has real problems; yet despite all, Catholics continue to unite in faith although not uniform in thought or social stance with liberal and conservative factions existing throughout. Cohesiveness remains and has proliferated for approximately 2,000 years.

Occupiers and community organizers with their tactics of destruction and divisiveness are nothing new. Anarchists and the tyrannical have reared their ugly heads for centuries as well. Fidelity and love has always triumphed, much to the dismay of history’s despots and totalitarians. Still these radicals persist, most recently under the leadership of their fallen patron saint, Saul Alinsky, whose canonical book attribution reads:

“Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history (and who is to know where mythology leaves off and history begins – or which is which), the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom – Lucifer” – Saul Alinsky

Could one’s choice of alignment be drawn any clearer?

Genuine enthusiasm, love and devotion will always prevail over totalitarianism and it is something to behold.